The Cruz-Trump Meeting - What Does It Mean?

So what are we to make of the Cruz/Trump meeting this past Wednesday? Many have reported on it, but both candidates are fairly mum. Prior to the meeting, Trump said: "I don't know why I'm meeting with him, to be honest, but I do have respect for him."

Some would say that the comment is a bit of a swipe at Cruz, but I believe it's just Trump being Trump. I think he likes being the maverick by portraying his candidacy as him against the entire Republican Party. And, for the most part, at least thus far, he's been pretty successful. Not that he necessarily has a strategy, but if this is it, it's working.

I also think he may have been a bit taken aback by Cruz's support of his illegal immigration "straight talk." I'm guessing he expected the entire field to run away from his stance, if he thought about it at all.

But then Ted Cruz stepped up to defend him. So now, it appears they are unlikely allies, at least on this one issue. And as far as The Donald saying what he said about the meeting with Cruz - I don't buy it.

Sure, Cruz can definitely use an ally like Trump at this point, and he's certainly intelligent enough not to go all in with Trump. But The Donald will need Cruz, also. He can possibly be Trump's voice of reason if and when he starts going off the rails - especially in the debates.

The first debate is rapidly approaching, and everyone is expecting a showdown between Trump and his immigration detractors - which appears to be the entire field, less Cruz.

I fully expect for the eight others to try to hammer Trump over his comments. I also fully expect at least a few to purposely take those comments out of context, just as the left, the establishment, and the entire pundit class has done.

And, at that point, Cruz, the brilliant debater, can take the reins and dismantle those who still wish to pander to illegals, figuring it will ingratiate them to Latinos and the spineless moderates. Moderates, as we know, are just liberals without the courage to admit it.

So for Trump, this meeting probably firmed up the ally status.

For Cruz, some have said that he went to New York just to kiss The Donald's ring. I don't believe that's either Cruz's style or his personality. He doesn't strike me as a groveler. I also think that Cruz has no problem as a maverick, and as Slate.com puts it: "the simple possibility of a loose partnership between the two will only add to the GOP establishment's Trump-related heartburn."

Also, many believe that Trump is simply not serious about the race, and Cruz figures The Donald will support someone if he drops out - so why not him?

Now, what I've yet to hear (and I'm a bit surprised not to have done so yet) is that the meeting was the initial strategy session to develop the framework of a Trump/Cruz ticket. Yes, it sounds ridiculous, but is it really that far-fetched? Frankly, is anything really that far-fetched anymore?

Ted Cruz is a smart guy, and as a former national debate champion, he must possess the power of persuasion. The Donald is a loose cannon who has changed his position on several issues over the years. Might Cruz believe it's possible for him to persuade Trump to adopt most of Cruz's originalist positions? It would be sort of like Cruz is the brains of the operation and Trump is the limelight-hogging mouthpiece. Frankly, I think Cruz would be good with that, providing he was confident enough that Trump would push his agenda.

But I doubt that this is what's going on, although it is an interesting possibility, and now is the time for fun spit-balling—before it starts getting serious.

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About the AuthorThe Common Constitutionalist

Brent, aka The Common Constitutionalist, is a Constitutional Conservative, and advocates for first principles, founders original intent and enemy of progressives. As well as publisher of the Common Constitutional blog, he also is a contributing writer for Political Outcast, Godfather Politics, Minute Men News (Liberty Alliance) and Free Republic